Winding machine



E. F. PARKS WINDING MACHINE May 3, 1938.

s sheets-sheet 1 Filed Aug. 16, 1935 May 3, 1938. E. F. PARKS 2,116,409

WINDING MACHINE Filed Aug. 16. 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 E. F. PARKS WINDING MACHINE May 3., 193.8.

Filed Aug. 16, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet C5 Patented 1938 UNITED v's`TATis`s PATENT OFFICE Universal Winding Company.

n, Mass.,

a corporation of Massachusetts Application August 18, 1935, Serial No. 36,597-

\ 4 Claims.

' This invention relates to winding machines for winding thread, yarn, wire or other strand material into cops, cones, cheeses, coils or other type's of packages and more particularly to an individual drive for each, winding-spindle of a mul-v tiple spindle machine.

For convenience of description the material to be wound will hereinafter be referred to as "yarn and the wound mass or body produced on the machine as a package; and it is to be understood that these terms are to be construed broadly as designating any kind of strand material, whether textile or otherwise, and any form ,l of cop, cone, coil or package wound therefrom.

One object of the invention is to provide a drive of the type indicated wherein the winding-spindle extends through a hollow drive-shaft with gearing therebetween for providing a driving connection.

Another object of the invention is to provide an electric motor for each drive-shaft so that only those spindles of a multiple spindle machine need be driven that are performing a winding operation.,

Another object of the invention is to provide a drive of the type indicated wherein the hollow drive-shaft is formed as the armature-shaft of an electric motor which is laterally adjustable with respect to the spindle to accommodate interl changeable gearing for altering the ratio of motor driving speed to driven spindle speed.

Another object of the invention is to provide an individual drive for each spindle of a winding machine which is of simple and rugged construction, eilcient and reliable in operation and one which is particularly compact due to the arrangement of its parts, one within the other.

Further objects of the improvement are set forth yin the following specification which describes a preferred form of construction of the invention, by way of example, V.as illustrated in q the accompanying drawings.

gearing for operatively connecting the motor shaft with the spindle; and

Fig. is a view similar to Fig. 4 showing the motor as moved transversely with respect to the spindle and a different reduction gearing substituted to provide a di'erent speed ratio between the motor and spindle.

'I'he present invention relates generally to an individual drive for each winding-spindle of a multiple spindle machine so that only those spindles which are performing a winding operation need be operated.v The individual drive for each spindle comprises a hollow drive-shaft through which the spindle extends, and preferably constituting the armature-shaft of the motor. The hollow armature-shaft is rotatably mounted in the motor casing while the windingspindle is journaled in a supporting frame independently of the motor, and the armature-shaft and spindle are drivingly connected, as by gearing or the like. The motor is adjustable on a supporting frame for lateral movement with respect to the spindle to provide for the substitution of interchangeable gearing whereby the speed ratio between the motor and windingspindle may be altered.

yReferring to Fig. 1 of the drawings, one winding head of a series is herein shown as mounted on a bed 2 supported at spaced intervals by suitable legs 3. The operating parts of each winding head are mounted in a box-like frame I having inwardly-directed brackets 5 and 6 forming a platform and upwardly-directed stanchions I and 8 at its sides. The drive constituting the subject-matter of the present invention includes an electric motor 9 mounted on the brackets 5 and 6 and a winding-spindle I0 journaled in the stanchions 1 and 8 in a manner as later more fully described. Suillce it to here state that the winding-spindle III extends through the motor 9 with its ends II and I2 overhanging the sides of the frame 4. A mandrel or cop-holder I3 is carried on the extended end II of the spindle I0 for mounting a suitable paper cop-tube C or other core on which the package is wound. Fast on the opposite extended end I2 is an expansible pulley Il for driving the yarn-traversing mechanism later to be described.

Below the winding-spindle I0 the frame l carries bearings I8 in which a cam-shaft I9 is journaled. Fast on the cam-shaft I9 is a cam 20 having a cylindrical rim 2| in which a helical groove 22 is formed. 'Ihe cam 2li is connected to reciprocate a .thread-guide 23 of usual construction having a head 2| formed .with a groove or slot 25 through which the yarn y feeds to direct it onto the package being wound. 'I'he thread-guide 23 is carried at the end of a horizontal rod or traverse-bar 26 which is connected to a slide or crosshead 21 having a bowl or roller 23 engagingthe helical groove 22 of the cam 29.

The thread-guide 23 and its reciprocable traverse-bar 26, together with the connected crosshead 21, are arranged to slide in suitable grooves formed in a traverse-frame 29 pivotally supported by the cam-shaft I9. As shown in Fig. l, the traverse-frame 29 is provided with opposite legs 39 and 3l straddling the cam 29 and pivotally mounted on the axis of the cam-shaft I9. 'I'he legs 39 and 3l of the traverse-frame 29 have hubs at their ends surrounding bushings 32 and 33 in the bearings I3 of the frame 4 of the machine, which bushings serve as the journals for the cam-shaft I9. The outer leg 39 of the traverse-frame 29 is extended below its hub, preferably in a separate arm 34 attached thereto and terminating in a counterweight 35 which tends to maintain the frame in substantially erect position. Attached to the overhanging part of the traverse-frame 29 is a plate vor back 36 against which the threadguide 23 bears to direct it in a course parallel to the surface on which the Winding is performed. In the present illustration of the machine the traverse-frame back 36 extends at an angle to the axis of the winding-spindle to direct the thread-.guide in a course parallel to the side of the tapered holder or mandrel I3 which supports the tube C for winding a cone-shaped package.

The cam-shaft I9 is driven from the pulley I4 on the extended end I2 of the spindle I9 by a belt 49 passing over a pulley 4I at the end of a countershaft 42 journaled in a housing 43. Reduction gearing of usual construction is enclosed within the housing 43 for connecting the countershaft 42 with the cam-shaft I 9 and the housing is rocked about the cam-shaft I9 by a weight 44 to tension the belt in the usual manner. The driving pulley i4 is radially adjustable` to expand or contract its rim whereby to vary the speed ratio between the winding-spindle I9 and cam-shaft I9 to give the proper lead or gain to the thread-guide 23 to cause the yarn y to be laid in closely adjacent coils.

'I'he present invention is directed particularly to an individual drive for the spindle I9 of the winding head including a hollow drive-shaft 59 through which the spindle extends. The driveshaft 59 may take a variety of forms and may be operated from any suitable source of power but in the preferred embodiment of the invention as herein illustrated it .is constituted as the armature-shaft of the electric motor 9, see Fig. 3.

'Preferably the motor 9 is of the three-phase induction type to eliminate fire hazard and to provide for easy starting, but it may be of any other suitable type whether induction or repulsion, direct or alternating current, or single or multiple phase. The motor 9 has the usual hollow cylindrical casing 5I which carries the field magnets 52 and windings` 53 for cooperation with an ar` mature 54 fast on the shaft 59. End-bells 55 and 56, detachably connected to the opposite ends of kthe casing 5I by means of screws 51 or the like,

engaging the outer race of each bearing. The armature-shaft 59 is held from axial movement by a radial flange 64 at one end which engages 'the inner race of the bearing 69 and by the engagement of the end of the hub 65 of a spur-gear 66 with the inner race of the bearing 6I at the opposite end. The spur-gear 66 is detachably mounted on the extended end of the armatureshaft 59 and is rigidly lixed for rotation with the shaft by means of one or more set-screws 61 extending through the hub 65 and having reduced ends engaging suitable apertures in the shaft.

As shown most clearly in Fig. 3, the spindle I9 extends through the hollow armature-shaft 59 and is journaled in the stanchions 1 and 3 independently of the armature-shaft. Ball-bearings 19 and 'II for mounting the spindle I9 are carried in recessed pockets '12 at the upper end of the stanchions 1 and 9. A grooved brake-wheel 13 is mounted fast' on the spindle I9 in abutting engagement with the inner race of the bearing 19 and the hub of the pulley I4, previously mentioned, engages the extended end 14 of the inner race of the bearing 1I to hold the spindle from axial movement. A disk 15 is mounted on the spindle I9 between the end of the armature-shaft 59 and the stanchion 8, being held fast for rotation with the spindle by a set-screw 16. An internal ring-gear 11 carried by the disk 15 in coaxial relation to the spindle I9 is rigidly fixed to the plate by means of pins 18. The internal ring-gear 11 fast on the spindle I9 has its teeth in mesh with the teeth of the spur-gear 66 carried at the end of the armature-shaft 59 to provide a driving connection between the armature-shaft and spindle. As herein illustrated, the spur-gear 66 and internal ring-gear 'I1 provide reduction gearing for driving the spindle I9 at a slower rotative speed than the armature-shaft 59. In some cases the arrangement of the gears may be reversed so that the internal ring-gear is carried by the armature-shaft 59 and the spur-gear is carried by the spindle I9 so that the spindle will be driven at a rotative speed greater than that of the armatureshaft.

'Ihe present invention also provides for substituting gears of different sizes for Varying the ratio of motor speed to spindle winding speed. To this end the internal diameter of the hollow armature shaft 59 is considerably greater than the diameter of the spindle I9 so that the motor 9 may be moved laterally of the spindle to accommodate spur-gears of widely varying size to effect the desired changes in speed ratio. To provide for the lateral adjustment of the motor 9 to alter the distance between the centers of the armature-shaft 59 and spindle I9 the motor is adapted to slide as a unit on its platform formed by the brackets 5 and 6. As most clearly shown in Figs. l and 2, the bracket 5 has a vertical face 19 extending in a plane at right-angles to the horizontal lseat or platform and the feet 59 on the end-bell 55 of the motor are correspondingly shaped to adapt them to bear against the vertical face. The motor 9 is clamped in adjusted position by means of lbolts 89 extending through spaced slots 8l and 82 in the stanchion 1 and engaging tapped holes in the feet 56. The slots 3| 994s mounted op the armature-shaft 99 to give the maximum variation in rotative speed of the `armature-shaft 99 and winding-spindle I9. In

Pig. `5. however, the motor casing 92 is shown as adjusted to an oppodte extreme position where the largest spur-gear 99' oi' the series is shown mounted on the armature-shaft 99 to give the minimum speed variation. Spur-gears of any other size may be substituted for those shown and the invention also contemplates a concentric arrangement of the armature-shaft 99 and spindle I9 with any usual form of coupling for providing a direct drive. It desired, the speed of the motor 9 may be controlled through external resistances or the like in its electrical circuit.

As shown in Fig. 2. the motor circuit is controlled by a switch or circuit-breaker 99 mounted on the end-bell 95 of the motor in any suitable manner. The circuit-breaker 95 may be of any usual type for simultaneously opening or closing a three-phase powerline. As herein illustrated the circuit-breaker is actuated by a plunger 99 normally held in raised position by a spring 91 to maintain the circuit open. ,The contacts of the circuit-breaker 95 are cl by the operation of an actuating lever-99, one rm of which engages the end of the plunger 99.` The lever 99 is pivotally mounted on a pin 99 projecting from the side of the stanchion 1 on the frame 4, the pin being held in a bore therein by means of a set-screw 99 or the like. The lever 99 has its opposite arm connected to a spring 9| anchored at its opposite end to the frame 4. The lever 99 is adapted to be manually actuated by a handle or starting lever 93 carried by a hub 94 rotatably mounted on the pin 99 and suitably connected with the lever. The hub 94 of the handle 93 is held against axial movement on the pin 99 by means of a set-screw'95 having its end extending into a groove 99 in the pin. The handle 93 is pivoted on a pin 92 extending between spaced lugs 91 at the end of the hub 94 and is provided with an extension 99 for engaging a sliding sleeve 99 on the spindle I9. The actuating handle 93 is thus adapted for pivotal movement about the axis of the pin 99 to rock the lever 99 and actuate the circuit-breaker 95 and is also adapted for pivotal movement on the pin 92 to rock the extension 99 to operate the sliding sleeve 99 which expands and contracts the cop-tube holder I3 to grip or release the cop-tube C in a weli-known manner. The circuit-breaker actuating lever 99 is locked in circuit-closing position by means of a curved arm |99 formed integrally with the hub 94 of the handle 93 and having a laterally-projecting detent-lug |9I at its end. The lug |9I is arranged to engage a correspondingly-shaped detent-lug |92 carried at the end of an extended arm |93 on a quadrant |94 pivotally mounted on a stud |95 screwed into the side of the frame 4. The hub 94 of the actuating handle 93 is formed with an arm |96 which carries a pivotally-mounted brake-shoe |91 for cooperation with the brakewheel 13 when the handle is rocked to open the circuit to the motor. The quadrant |94 which normally holds the handle 93 latched is adapted to be rocked about its pivot in a counterclockwlse direction as viewed in Fig. 2 when the package attains a predetermined size or when the yarn breaks; suitable stopping mechanism common to machines of the present type, but not herein shown, being provided for moving the quadrant |94 to release the detent means. The rocking oi the quadrant |94 releases the curved arm |99 sothat thespring 9| willrocktheleverllto release the circuit-breaker plunger 99 and simultaneously applythe brake-shoe |91 to the brakewheel 13. Having now described the invention its method o! operation will next be explained.

To prepare the machine for a winding operation a suitable spur-gear 99 is mounted on the end ol the amature-shaft 99 to mesh with the ringgear 11 to give the desired ratio of motor speed to spindle speed. The gear-disk 19 may be removed irom the spindle I9 and the latter withdrawn to the left as viewed in Fig. 1, to a sumcient extent to permit the spur-gear 99 to be applied to the amature-shaft 99. The spindle I9 is then replaced in the bearing 1| in the stanchion 9 aiter the disk 15 carrying the ring-gear 11 has been relocated thereon. The driving pulley I4 is then mounted on the extended end I2 oi' the spindle I9 with its hub engaging the inner race oi the bearing 1| to coact with the brake-wheel 13 to hold the spindle against axial movement.

The disk 19 is secured in place on the spindle il by tightening the set-screw 19, and the driving belt 49 for the gainer mechanism is then applied tothe driving pulley |4 and the driven pulley 4|.

The motor 9 is adjusted on its supporting platform formed by the brackets 5 and 9 by moving it laterally with respect to the spindle i9 until the teeth of the spur-gear 66 are properly meshed with the teeth of the internal ring-gear 11. After the gears are properly meshed the bolts 99 are tightened to clamp the motor casing 5I in adjusted position on the main frame 4.

The winding head is then ready for a winding operation and a suitable cop-tube C is applied to the holder I3 carried by the overhanging forward end I| of the spindle I9. The end of the yarn u to be wound is -drawn up from a suitable source of supply, passed through the slot or groove in the thread-guide 23 and attached to the coptube C, it being understood that the yarn passes through a suita le tensioning device and across a drop-wire or the like for the stopping mechanism, not herein shown. The actuating handle 93 is rocked in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 2, about the pivot-pin 99 to cause the end of the actuating lever 99 to depress the plunger 96 of the circuit-breaker 95 against the action of the springs 91 and 9|. This movement of the handle 93 causes the connected curved arm |99 to be rocked to engage the lug |9| at its end with the detent-lug |92 on the extended arm |93 of the quadrant |94. The engagement of the detent-lugs |9I and |92 locks the actuating lever 99 in position to hold the circuit-breaker 95 with the electrical contacts closed.

With the contacts of the circuit-breaker 95 closed the motor windings 53 are energized from a suitable source of current, not herein shown, to cause rotation of the armature 54 and its shaft 59. 'Ihe intermeshing engagement of the spurgear 99 on the amature-shaft 59 with the internal ring-gear 11 on the spindle i9 causes the spindle to be driven at a reduced rate of speed in accordance with the selection of the gears. The rotation of the spindle I9 causes the yarn to be wound onto the cop-tube C and the reciprocation of the thread-guide 23 by the cam 29 disposes the coils of winding in regular order to build up a package of overlying layers. 'I'he winding continues until a package of predetermined size has been formed or breakage or exhaustion of the yarn occurs which causes the quadrant |94 to be rocked about its pivot |95; for example. by means such as shown in U. 8. Letters Patent No. 1,799,153 dated April 7, 1931. 'Ihe lug |02 on the arm |03 of the quadrant |00 is thus disengaged from the lug to release the curved arm |00. The spring 9| then acts upon the lever 0l to rock it to a position which permits the spring 0'|v to raise the circuit-breaker plunger 8i to open the circuit. The broken ends of the thread are united or in other cases the Ypackage is don'ed by rocking the actuating handle 90 to release the cop-tube C from the mandrel or holder I0. An-

other cop-tube is then applied on the holder if necessary, the yarn attached thereto and the circuit-breaker 85 again closed by rocking the handle 93 in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 2 to start another winding operation.

When it is desired to change the speed ratio between the driving motor 9 and the windingspindle I0 the spindle is withdrawn, a diil'erent size of spur-gear 66 is substituted and the parts reassembled in the manner previously described. The motor 9 is then adjusted transversely with respect to the spindle I0 to mesh the spur-gear 66 with the internal ring-gear after which the screws 80 are tightened to clamp the motor to the frame 4. It will be understood that the housing 43 enclosing the reduction gearing for the gainer mechanism and supporting the driven pulley II is movable about the cam-shaft I9 to compensate for the lateral movement of the spindle i0.

It will be observed from the foregoing that the present invention provides an individual motor drive for each spindle of a multiple spindle winding machine in which the elements of the drive are positioned one within another to provide a simple and particularly compact arrangement. It will further be observed that the improved structure provides for adjustment ofthe motor with respect to the winding-spindle to accommodate interchangeable gearing whereby to provide for minute changes in the speedratio between the driving motor and the winding-spindle. It will also be observed that the arrangement of the parts of the driving mechanism is such as to adapt it` for use with the usual control and stopping mechanism heretofore used.

While I have herein described and illustrated one preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that various modifications may be made in the structure and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Therefore, without limiting myself in this respect, I claim:

1. In a winding machine, a frame, an electric motor mounted on the frame and having a hollow shaft, a spindle extending longitudinally through the hollow motor-shaft and journaled in bearings on the frame, reduction gearing operatively connecting the hollow shaft and spindle, packagesupporting means mounted on one end of the spindle, traversing means associated with said package-supporting means to guide yarn onto the package, a second shaft journaled on said frame and connected to operate the traversing means, and means operatively connecting the spindle an'd second shaft, said motor being adjustable on the frame with respect to said spindle whereby to permit changing said gearing to vary the ratio of spindle speed to motor speed.

2. In a winding machine, a frame having a platform thereon, an electric motor adjustably mounted on said platform and having a hollow shaft, a spindle of less diameter than the hollow shaft extending longitudinally therethrough and journaledin fixed bearings on the frame, reduction gearing connecting the hollow motorshaft and spindle, said spindle extending beyond 4its bearings on the frame, package-supporting means mounted on one end of the spindle, traversing means associated with said package-sup- /porting means to guide yarn nto the package, a

countershaft journaled on the frame, a cam on said countershaft connected to operate the traversing means, and means for operatively connecting the spindle with the countershaft, said motor being adjustable on the platform with respect to the spindle whereby to permit changing the gearing to vary the ratio of spindle speed to motor speed. i

3. In a winding machine, a frame, an electric motor mounted on the frame and having a hollow shaft, a spindle extendinglongitudinally through the hollow' motor-shaft and journaled'in bearings on the frame, reduction gearing operatively connecting the hollow shaft and spindle comprising a spur gear and an internal ring gear,

. package-supporting means mounted on one end of the spindle, traversing mechanism associated with the package-supporting means to guide yarn onto the package, a cam-shaft journaled on the frame, a cam on said cam-shaft for operating the traversing mechanism, and means operatively connecting the spindle and cam-shaft, said spindle being of less diameter than the hollow motor-shaft and said motor being adjustable on the frame whereby to permit changing the gearing to vary the ratio of spindle speed to motor speed.

4. In a winding machine, a frame having a platform thereon, an electric motor mounted on the platform and having a hollow shaft, a spindle extending longitudinally through the hollow motor-shaft and journaled in fixed bearings on the frame, reduction gearing for operatively connecting the spindle and motor-shaft comprising a spur gear and an internal ring gear, packagesupporting means mounted on one end of the spindle, acamshaft journaled in the frame, a swinging traverse-frame mounted on said camshaft, traversing mechanism on said swinging frame associated with the package-supporting means to guide yarn onto the package, a cam on the cam-shaft connected to operate the traversing mechanism, and means operatively connecting the spindle and cam-shaft, said motor being adjustable on the platform and said spindle being of less diameter than the hollow-shaft whereby to permit adjustment therebetween for changing the gearing to vary the ratio of spindle speed to motor speed.

EDWARD F. PARKS. 

